What does one have to do to hear the words "Well done good and faithful servant"?

RaymondG said:

Thanks for eliminating Mind reading from the list of your possible occupations. Just to let you know, your opinion would be respected regardless of your occupation....so feel free to not feel the need to mention it before responding.



This is essentially the question I was asking you. To share your view of preaching the gospel, and contrast it to what the Pharisee were doing.

This is important since it is your claim that this is the main way to hear "well done"

And I did not assume your method, as I too, prefer to not read minds.



The scripture seem to suggest that they were converting people to follow their religion.....a religion in which they believed they were worshiping the living God of Abraham.... A conviction not easily shaken....even by the Son of God.

Are your convictions that strong........? The thought that you know in whom you believe?

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What's your point with this?

We were given the most important way that one could hear "well done" at the end of our journeys.

I thought that this was a way that came to through careful study and/or experience. Since we are not able to answer the simplest of questions regarding this conclusion... It seems that I was mistaken.

However, it is important to note that, as we take advice from others, there is a good chance that these are opinions and directions, some of which, have not been followed or properly vetted out by the ones giving them.... Which would make it unwise to blindly follow when there is an eternity at stake.

zoidar said:

Wasn't it the Father who gave the 10 commandments? And through Jesus the Father gave the new covenant?

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Heb 8 says it was the Son speaking at Sinai --
John 1 says no one has seen the Father - but when going up to Sinai Moses and the 70 elders see God - which can only be God the Son in that case.

zoidar said:

I think the Pharisees were rebuked for setting their own rules, adding and taking away from the Law and not following the heart of the Law.

Also:
Matthew 23
1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; 3 therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.

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Thanks for the reply.

I was asking the guy because I know he's trying to play games and I'm not interested in going along with it.

It's not worth it.

Daniel C said:

Thanks for the reply.

I was asking the guy because I know he's trying to play games and I'm not interested in going along with it.

It's not worth it.

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Yes, games should not be played when we are discussing the way to get to heaven. I happen to find the directions to heaven very worth reasoning out.

If you prefer that people blindly believe whatever you say......and not work it out with fear and trembling, this is ok....and you will find many that will do so.

But it is unwise to assume that anyone who asks you to give any detail about your remarks is one who is playing games.

Some people are just a little more serious about salvation....

forgive my questioning.....I assumed you had answers.....now that I know you dont, I have no reason to ask anymore.

Daniel C said:

Ok before I answer this let's be clear,I'm not a mind reader.

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Daniel C said:

I was asking the guy because I know he's trying to play games

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Seems as though you discovered abilities that you, before, thought you did not possess.
Again, I had no idea you would take offense to being asked about salvation. I repent of my inquiry.

Neostarwcc said:

Can you provide a link to this sermon? Or did your pastor say it in church? Okay. God wants obedience from us but how can you tell when God is leading you into something and not the devil? Will Satan use anything beyond temptation to lead us away from Gods plan for our lives?

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I've actually heard several sermons about this particular parable, some on www.sermonaudio.com and at my Church as well. The Bible passage is Matt, 25:14-30
Matthew 25 Sermons | SermonAudio

I hope you can find some time to listen to one of the speakers in the link, I can't remember which particular one I was referring to but I'm sure you will find any one of them helpful.

You raised an interesting question, concerning whom we're being led by.

When Christ was teaching the apostles how to pray, He mentioned "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil One".
God knows exactly what we need but He still wants us to ask for it in prayer.

If we ask God to lead us, then He most certainly will. Christ said that even a wicked man wouldn't give his hungry son a stone if he asked for a fish, so how much more will a loving Father give to His son.

As mortal men, we're completely vulnerable and defenseless against our enemy who seeks to destroy us. If we don't have God's Holy Spirit to guide our way and protect us, then we're just like a lamb against a hungry lion.

Neostarwcc said:

Christ gives us a basic overview in Matthew 25:14-23 but exactly what does a person have to do to be praised by Christ on the last day? If a Christian only does one of the things expected of him like giving to the poor will he still hear those words? Or does he have to do multiple things for God? Besides that, just what exactly does God want from his servants?

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The scriptures give us great insight on this matter; telling us God is love, the word is nigh even in your heart and in your mouth so that ye may do it. We are living in a righteous spiritual system where it is done unto you as you believe, according to your faith, the Christ tells us over and over. Then we are told to live by faith and not by sight. This makes perfect sense since it is done unto us according to our faith. Fear not, we are told because fear is negative faith and we are told to trust, have faith when you ask for whatsoever ye desire. So, walking in love for God and man, dwelling in love and acting in faith, speaking the word, brings good fruit. If we truly believe in Christ he says, do what he says! Then you are a doer of the word, filled with God/Christ's power, attached to the vine your spirit one with God's Spirit! For a branch is part of the whole plant, it is not the complete plant but must be attached to the roots with the same life force flowing through it. This is where we want to be! Giving to the poor is good for it shows you have a kind, loving heart but we also need f aithc believing in Christ and doing what He said. Then real life is in you!

RaymondG said:

Seems as though you discovered abilities that you, before, thought you did not possess.
Again, I had no idea you would take offense to being asked about salvation. I repent of my inquiry.

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Good.

BobRyan said:

Heb 8 says it was the Son speaking at Sinai --
John 1 says no one has seen the Father - but when going up to Sinai Moses and the 70 elders see God - which can only be God the Son in that case.

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Ex 33
19 And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” 20 But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” 21 Then the LORD said, “Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; 22 and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.”

Neostarwcc said:

So when we are lead by God we will know? I guess if you're on one particular path your whole life than that's the path God wants from you. Most of the talents and abilities that God gave to me are sins. So its like.... idk....

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All those things that are sins are dealt with according to Scripture.

Judgment, if committed without repentance, without being forgiven.

Crucifixion if brought to Yahuweh by faith in Christ Jesus. (yes. all the talents and abilities must be crucified along with all the desires and lusts of the flesh)

Don't worry. After all the old is crucified/ dealt with according to God's Plan as Revealed by Him, in line with all Scripture,
the New Life in Jesus, Resurrection Life, True Life, walking in union daily with the Son and with the Father, begins and < God Willing > continues for eternity... (His Way, not man's way)

Neostarwcc said:

God wants obedience from us but how can you tell when God is leading you into something and not the devil?

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"My sheep KNOW My Voice and FOLLOW ME; they will NOT follow another" (we , His sheep, RUN from 'other' voices)

jamesbond007 said:

What I was taught was to give up one's life for another. To help save your family, friends, or even a stranger is the ultimate sacrifice. A good tree bears good fruit, so the Holy Spirit should help guide you to what fruit you will bear.

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If a person is bearing the good fruit of the Holy Spirit in their life, they are going to be commended by Christ at the judgement, and be told well done good and faithful servant.
All must bear good fruit or they will not be saved, this is simply evidence of a transformed life, not a life weighed down with the sins of the flesh, and following the ways of the world.
All persons whom the Lord has saved will bear good fruit to God. it is impossible for a good tree to bear bad fruit, that good fruit is also how they speak out from the heart, by making the good confession about who Christ really is. Notice in Matthew 12, Jesus tells us good fruit are those good things that proceed out from the transformed heart, a brood of vipers (the evil heart), can not bear good fruit.
Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or bad and its fruit bad. God makes the good tree by making us a new creation in Christ, old things have passed, the new is here.

Matthew 7
You Will Know Them by Their Fruits
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

Matthew 12
A Tree Known by Its Fruit
33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood[of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

If it is true that to whom much has been given, much will be expected, then I fear that many relatively wealthy Christians in the U.S., Canada and Northern Europe may well be found wanting when they stand before God.

Neostarwcc said:

Christ gives us a basic overview in Matthew 25:14-23 but exactly what does a person have to do to be praised by Christ on the last day? If a Christian only does one of the things expected of him like giving to the poor will he still hear those words? Or does he have to do multiple things for God? Besides that, just what exactly does God want from his servants?

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The Parable of the Talents is Matthew 25:14-30.
The point is that the unprofitable servant was cast into outer darkness where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth. Gnashing of teeth is what wolves do. Jesus warned against those who wear sheep's clothing but inwardly they are ravening wolves (Matthew 7:15). Why were they wolves? Because they did not do what Jesus said (See: Matthew 7:26-27; Matthew 7:23, Matthew 7:21). This is the same point in the Parable of the Talents.

"His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:" (Matthew 25:26).

The unprofitable servant buried his talent (Matthew 25:25). Talents can be natural abilities that are in line with doing things for the Lord's kingdom. While there are many ways to love God, and love others (the 2 greatest commands), the top three ways can do as Christians is:

#1. Preach the gospel.
#2. Love the brethren.
#3. Help the poor in some way.

We have to be operating these kinds of works via by God working through us (after we are saved by God's grace). The faithful servant is faithful over those aspects of the faith that are the most important in loving God and loving others.

Why are these three things essential to being profitable servants?

#1. "And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62). Note: Putting one's hand to the plough is preaching the gospel. We are not fit to enter the kingdom of God if we look back in not spreading the gospel message in some way. In other words, if we are not concerned with lost souls and in trying to save them, then we are not really loving our neighbor.

#2. "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." (1 John 3:15). Note: If we do not love the brethren, we are hating them. John says here if we hate our brother, no eternal life abides within us. So we have to love the brethren. How do we do that? One way is to feed the sheep (John 21:17). This means we are to instruct and encourage them in God's Word, and to provide for any lack of meeting their basic needs.

#3. "Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." (Matthew 25:44-46). Note: Those who did not help the poor were told to go away into everlasting punishment.

For Jesus agreed with the lawyer on the truth that to love God and to love your neighbor is a part of inheriting eternal life (See Luke 10:25-28).

In addition, believers cannot abide in grievous sins like hate, adultery, theft, idolatry, etc.; And a believer needs to seek forgiveness with the Lord and study His Word (the Bible), and to pray, etc. All these things are a part of loving God, and loving your neighbor, too. If we do not live holy and become profitable servants for the Lord's Kingdom, then we are not going to make it. We have to pick up our cross, and deny ourselves and follow Jesus.

Basil the Great said:

If it is true that to whom much has been given, much will be expected, then I fear that many relatively wealthy Christians in the U.S., Canada and Northern Europe may well be found wanting when they stand before God.

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This is true only for those who add money to scripture: "For whom much 'money' is given, much is required"

Those who have tasted of the kingdom, wants nothing much than another taste and would give all they have to do so.

To them, money has no value.....to them, adding money to this scripture would seem weird and at the very least inappropriate.